The United States has delivered a fresh consignment of military equipment to the Nigerian Air Force as Washington and Abuja continue to deepen their security partnership in the fight against terrorism and other threats in the region.

The equipment was transported by a United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and delivered at locations in Lagos and Kainji, according to the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM.

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AFRICOM announced the delivery on Thursday, describing it as another demonstration of the growing defence cooperation between the United States and Nigeria.

“Partnership in action,” the command said, explaining that the equipment was supplied under a Foreign Military Sales agreement between both countries.

AFRICOM said the delivery would support Nigeria’s efforts to counter terrorism in the region and further strengthen the defence partnership between Washington and Abuja.

Images released through the US Department of Defense’s visual information platform, DVIDS, showed the C-17 aircraft and personnel involved in the offloading of the equipment in Lagos and Kainji.

However, AFRICOM has not disclosed the specific type, quantity or financial value of the military equipment delivered.

The command also emphasised that the support was provided at Nigeria’s invitation and was intended to strengthen Nigerian-led counterterrorism operations while respecting the country’s sovereignty.

US-Nigeria Security Cooperation

The latest delivery comes less than a month after senior Nigerian and US officials met in Washington to review the countries’ security partnership.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu led a Nigerian delegation to the second session of the Nigeria-US Joint Working Group on August 13.

The meeting focused on several security issues, including counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, terrorism financing, border security, protection of vulnerable communities, internally displaced persons and military-to-military cooperation.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the discussions were also aimed at reviewing the countries’ defence roadmap and determining the next phase of their security collaboration.

The latest military equipment delivery adds another layer to the expanding cooperation, particularly as Nigeria continues to battle terrorism and insurgency in parts of the country.

Expanding Counterterrorism Cooperation

US-Nigeria military cooperation has also expanded through joint counterterrorism efforts.

In May, AFRICOM, working with the Nigerian government, conducted an operation against ISIS targets in northeastern Nigeria. The operation killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom AFRICOM described as the group’s director of global operations, alongside other senior ISIS figures.

The US command subsequently carried out additional strikes against ISIS targets in northeastern Nigeria in coordination with Abuja.

The jostle for the position of the next Director-General (DG) of the institution that impacts Nigeria’s public health by regulating the making, importing, exporting, selling, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, detergents, and packaged water is heating up.

Biztellers reports that with the second and final tenure of the incumbent DG, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye expected to statutorily end on December 1, 2027, several people have started canvassing openly to replace her.

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Prominent among the contenders is a serving director of the Agency, Olatunde Isaac.
Isaac took to his verified handle on X to pitch his credentials to Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He wrote, “I have served at NAFDAC for nearly a decade and dedicated years of my career to the fight against counterfeit and substandard medicines and unsafe food products.

“My work in this area earned me the NAFDAC Director-General’s Merit Award in recognition of my contribution to the fight against fake food and drugs.

“Mr. President, I am not asking for a favour. I am offering competence, experience and a proven commitment to the national interest.

“Make me the Director-General of NAFDAC, give me the mandate and the institutional backing, and I will take the fight against counterfeit medicines and unsafe foods to an entirely different level.

“Within the first six months, I will target a minimum 60% reduction in the circulation of counterfeit and substandard medicines and unsafe regulated products, with the ultimate objective of driving the menace to the barest minimum within one year.

“Nigeria does not lack capable professionals. Sometimes, what is needed is simply the courage to put the right person in the right place.

“Give me the mandate. Give me the tools. I will deliver.

“Nigeria deserves a stronger, more effective war against fake drugs and unsafe foods.”

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has warned investors operating under the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme that they risk losing their permits if they fail to make substantial progress in developing their awarded flare gas sites within one year.

The warning is part of renewed efforts by the Federal Government to end routine gas flaring by 2030 and ensure that gas currently being wasted through flaring is converted into productive economic value.

The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, issued the warning during a working visit to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, in Abuja on Wednesday.

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According to a statement issued by the NUPRC Head of Corporate Communications and Media, Eniola Akinkuotu, Eyesan provided updates on the implementation of the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme and other initiatives being undertaken by the commission.

Eyesan said the regulator would no longer tolerate situations where flare gas sites awarded to investors remain undeveloped for extended periods.

She explained that the commission conducts an assessment one year after an award is granted to determine whether the investor has made considerable progress.

“One year after an award has been granted, the Commission conducts an evaluation to determine whether there has been considerable progress,” Eyesan said.

She added, “Where there is insufficient progress, the Commission will take appropriate regulatory action, including revocation of the award where necessary.”

The NUPRC boss disclosed that 43 flare gas sites were initially identified for award under the programme, while 27 sites have so far been successfully awarded to investors.

She noted that implementation activities were currently ongoing at the awarded sites.

The Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme was established to enable investors to utilise gas that would otherwise be burnt through routine flaring for commercially viable projects.

The programme is expected to reduce environmental pollution, create employment opportunities, generate additional revenue and increase gas supply for power generation, industries and other productive activities.

Nigeria currently has more than 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, while its estimated total gas resource base stands at about 600 trillion cubic feet.

Meanwhile, Eyesan also disclosed progress in the implementation of the Host Community Development Trust framework established under the Petroleum Industry Act.

She said 173 Host Community Development Trusts had been incorporated, with 147 already funded. More than 1,001 projects are currently ongoing across host communities, while over 200 projects have been completed and commissioned.

Speaking during the visit, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, called for a more aggressive implementation of the country’s gas commercialisation programme.

Ekpo stressed the need to accelerate efforts to achieve Nigeria’s target of eliminating routine gas flaring by 2030.

He said the country must move away from practices that cause environmental pollution and focus on transforming its gas resources into valuable products and services that can drive economic growth.

“The core objective is to add value to our gas resources by converting them into critical products and services. We must move away from environmental pollution and toward productive resource utilization,” the minister said.

The latest warning underscores the NUPRC’s tougher stance on undeveloped flare gas assets as Nigeria seeks to turn its enormous gas resources into economic opportunities while reducing the environmental impact of gas flaring.